1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for sorting products, such as newspapers, magazines, books, CDs and/or diskettes. The apparatus includes a separation station arranged for making single items of products supplied in stacks, a conveyor arranged for conveying one by one the products coming from the separation station, and a number of sorting stations arranged adjacent the conveyor. The sorting stations is connected to the conveyor such that a product located on the conveyor can be supplied from the conveyor to a desired sorting station for forming a sorted collection of products in the respective sorting station. The apparatus further includes a control.
2. Description of Background Art
Such an apparatus is known per se and is used specifically in newspaper and magazine distribution, for processing newspapers, magazines or products which a customer has not sold by the end of a selling period, such as, for instance, a day, a week or a month, and which this customer has returned unsorted to the publisher or wholesaler. The products returned in stacks are made into single items in the separation station, the type of each product is determined using detection means, and it is counted how many products of each type are being returned, this in connection with the crediting of the customer. Thereafter the products are, for instance, sent back to the publisher, destroyed, included in subscription portfolios with magazines, or sold to institutions at a reduced price. The customers settle with the publishers or wholesalers on the basis of the number of copies sold. It is then of importance, therefore, that the publisher or wholesaler determines accurately how many copies of each type of product are being returned by the customer. If desired, in connection with the further processing of the products, these products are sorted according to type with the aid of the conveyor and the sorting stations.
It is noted that a description of a separation station is given in EP 0 879 778, the contents of which are to be considered inserted herein.
In the distribution of newspapers, magazines, books, CDs and the like, publishers and wholesalers have a need for an apparatus which automatically assembles the orders of the various customers (sales outlets). In practice, for these operations, special apparatuses are being marketed. Apart from the considerable investments involved in the purchase of these apparatuses, these separate apparatuses also occupy space in the factory or hall of the publisher, wholesaler or distributor.
The invention is based on the insight that an apparatus for processing unsorted collections of products, such as, for instance, unsorted stacks of newspapers or magazines which are being returned by the shops and the kiosks to the publishers or wholesalers is essentially a sorting apparatus which, at least if it possessed the appropriate control, could also serve for assembling orders of customers.
The apparatus of the type described in the opening paragraph hereof is characterized, according to the invention, in that the control is arranged for controlling at least the conveyor and the sorting stations, such that at least two sorting functions can be performed.
As a result of these measures, with the same hardware, two functions can be performed, for which functions heretofore two apparatuses were needed. It will be clear that in this way the publisher or wholesaler not only saves a considerable investment but also gains a lot of space in his establishment. Moreover, the capacity of the apparatus for processing unsold, returned products is utilized much better. Thus, for instance, during the day, assembling the orders could be carried out on the apparatus, while during the night, using the same apparatus, the products returned by the customers can be sorted by type.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, the first sorting function involves sorting an unordered collection of products according to type of product, which collection comes from a customer, such as a shopkeeper or a kiosk-keeper, whereby in a respective sorting station products of the same type are collected.
According to a still further elaboration, the second sorting function concerns assembling a number of customer orders.
In particular for the purpose of the first sorting function, it is particularly favorable when the separation station comprises detection means arranged for making known to the control of what type each product supplied is, the control being arranged for subsequently causing the conveyor and/or the sorting station intended to collect that type of product to be so controlled that the respective product is delivered to the desired sorting station.
This prevents, for instance, a loader needing to input, in respect of each magazine or product, of what type that magazine or product is, since the detection means perform this task automatically.
According to a further elaboration of the invention, in respect of each unordered collection of products it is determined, and stored in the control, how many copies of each type of product the unordered collection contains. Owing to these data being stored, the eventual settlement with the customer is considerably simplified.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.